Fujifilm X-E2S versus Nikon D7000

The Fujifilm X-E2S and the Nikon D7000 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively,
in January 2016 and September 2010. The X-E2S is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the D7000 is a DSLR. Both cameras are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The Fujifilm has a resolution of 16 megapixel, whereas the Nikon provides 16.1 MP. Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their size, their sensors, their features, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison: Fujifilm X-E2S vs Nikon D7000

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Fujifilm X-E2S and the Nikon D7000 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter. You can also use the toggle button to switch to a percentage comparison if you prefer that the measures are being expressed in relative terms (in this case, the camera on the left – the X-E2S – represents 100 percent across all the size and weight measures).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size,
the Nikon D7000 is considerably larger (43 percent) than the Fujifilm X-E2S. Moreover, the D7000 is substantially heavier (123 percent) than the X-E2S. It is noteworthy in this context that the D7000 is splash and dust-proof, while the X-E2S does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses
that both of these cameras require. Both cameras have similarly sized sensors, but DSLRs have a larger flange-to-focal plane distance than mirrorless cameras,
which imposes contraints on the optical engineering process and generally leads to bigger and heavier lenses.
You can find an overview of optics for the two cameras in the Fujinon X Lens Catalog (X-E2S) and the Nikon Lens Catalog (D7000). Mirrorless cameras, such as the Fujifilm X-E2S, have moreover the advantage that they have a relatively short flange to focal plane distance and can thus use many lenses from other systems via adapters.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, just click on the right or left
arrow next to the camera that you would like to inspect. Alternatively, you can also use the CAM-parator to
select your camera combination among a larger number of options.

Any camera purchase will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The X-E2S was launched at a markedly lower price (by 53 percent) than the D7000, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison: Fujifilm X-E2S vs Nikon D7000

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors
differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the D7000 is 1 percent bigger. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors.

With 16.1MP, the D7000 offers a higher
resolution than the X-E2S (16MP), but the D7000 nevertheless has the same individual pixel size (pixel pitch of
4.80μm) as the X-E2S due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the X-E2S is a much more recent model (by 5 years and 4 months) than the D7000, and its sensor
will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the X-E2S has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the X-E2S provides a higher frame rate than the D7000. It can shoot video footage at 1080/60p, while the Nikon is limited to 10800/24p.

Feature comparison: Fujifilm X-E2S vs Nikon D7000

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the X-E2S has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), while the D7000 has an optical one.
Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information
into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Fujifilm X-E2S and Nikon D7000 along with similar information for a selection of comparators. If you need more detail on the specs, you can find comprehensive listings, for example, in the dpreview camera hub.

The reported shutter speed and shutter burst refer to the use of the mechanical shutter. In addition, the X-E2S features
an electronic shutter, which makes silent shooting and higher burst speeds possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (rolling shutter) or
shooting under artificial light sources (flickering).

Both the X-E2S and the D7000 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used
on eBay. The D7000 was replaced by the Nikon D7100, while the X-E2S was followed by the Fujifilm X-E3.

Review summary: Fujifilm X-E2S vs Nikon D7000

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Fujifilm X-E2S or the Nikon D7000 – has the upper hand? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Fujifilm X-E2S:

Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.

Longer lasting: Gets more shots (1050 versus 350) out of a single battery charge.

Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.

More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in September 2010).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the X-E2S is the clear winner of the match-up (11 : 7 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision.

X-E2S 11:07 D7000

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the X-E2S or the D7000 handle or perform in practice. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable. This is where reviews by experts come in. The table below summarizes the assessments of some of the best known camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, photographyblog). The full reviews are available by clicking on the site logo in the table header.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Other camera comparisons

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